A six-month period of police confiscating drink from those suspected of antisocial behaviour in parts of the town has now ended. The Joint Action Group (JAG) — a body including Elmbridge and Surrey councils and emergency services — must prove to Cabinet members tonight that the Section 13 legislation has been successful.

The designation order in Weybridge was defined by a circle on a map. This has led to problems with enforcement and displacement. Vandalism and drinkers moving outside the zone has led JAG to seek to incorporate Bulldog Island, Oatlands Park and other problem areas in to the Section 13 area.

JAG will base its evidence largely on North Surrey Police Intelligence Unit data and the public alerting police to potential incidents, known as Integrated Computer Call and Dispatch (ICAD). An ICAD does not mean a crime has been committed.

JAG proposes that the areas covered reflect the location of the ICADs and not just where drink-related violence has occurred.

Despite an overall increase in intoxicant violence of 33.3 per cent borough-wide, offences between April and June 2004 and 2005 in Weybridge have declined.

Between the first six months of 2004 and 2005 respectively, offences went down from 32 per cent to 19 per cent of all crime in the area.

However, the actual number of incidents was unavailable as the News & Mail went to press.

There were only eight violent alcohol-related crimes over the last six months — seven in the High Street and one in Churchfield Road.

Sixty-six disorder ICADs were received by Surrey Police over six months for High Street. Old Palace Road, on the Grotto Estate, had 28.

The average number of rowdy or nuisance behaviour ICADs per month was 43. June had a higher number of violence ICADs than any other month.

Peter Kipps, community safety partnership manager, said the large number of ICADs did not prove the success of the Section 13s, but rather indicated where the legislation could be useful. “There’s not a direct correlation, he told the News & Mail. “We have to make the assumption.” He added: “We would expect the number of ICADs to be higher than the number of crimes reported.”

Although there is a link between violent crime and alcohol-related crime, public place violence figures do not all necessarily involve drink.

Mr Kipps said some of the recorded ICADs could be duplicates, although calls of the same nature were mostly linked.

When an ICAD is logged, police assess the severity of the incident to determine when officers attend.

There is no proof that an offence would have occurred without the 28 seizures that have taken place since the legislation came into operation.

“It’s likely that some of these would have resulted in incidents,” Mr Kipps added.

He welcomed an extension to the Section 13 zone.

“It’s a tool in the armoury to allow the police to be more effective,” he said. “It’s a very swift solution.”

The orders, it seems have been welcomed by councillors and residents.

Cllr Timothy Crowther, (Weybridge North) said: “I am in support of extending it to the whole of Weybridge and playing it from there.”

Concerns about displacement of antisocial behaviour to areas not covered by CCTV were raised by Cllr Simon Dodsworth. The Weybridge South councillor said he did not anticipate too much displacement outside the proposed zone.

“The principle behind it does not allow police any extended powers if they are conducting themselves in the proper fashion,” he said.

The Cabinet meeting takes place tonight at 7pm in the Civic Centre, Esher.